Tone-modifier for talking-machines



F. W'. COOLEY.

TONE MODIFIER FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l2l I99.

Patent-ed Aug. 17, 1920.

ERE@ W. COOLEY. 9x H15 ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES FRED W. COOLEY, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TONE-MODIFIER FCR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 147, 1920.

Application led .Tune 12, 1919. Serial No. 303,711.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. CooLEY, a citizen of the United States residing at Minneapolis, in the county 0f flennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tone- Modifiers for Talking-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to phonographs or so-called talking machines and is directed to an improvement in the tone arms thereof, whereby a clearer, more resonant, more musical, and if desired, louder tone will be produced. Generally stated the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In accordance with my invention I provide one or more, preferably two concentric resonant tubes and locate the same where the sound wave will pass therethrough as they emerge from the tone arm into the sound box. These resonant tubes should be made of wood thoroughly dried and having good resonant quality. Moreover, these wooden tubes should be made very thin so that they will readily vibrate. As an important feature of the invention, I provide a so-called tension or straining device which puts at least one of the resonant tubes un' der a normal stress so as to increase the resistance thereof.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 i's a 4view chiefiy in side elevation but with some parts in section showing the resonant tube attachment applied to a tone arm of a phonograph;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken actually through the resonant tube structure on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view correspondingv to Fig. 2 but illustrating a slightly modied construction;

but illustrating the slightly modified construction;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified construction;

lFig. 9 is a section of the line 9-9 of F1 .l 8; and

*l 1g. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9 but illustrating a still further modified construction. i

'The tone arm 11 which is of the usual construction is, in the customary way, swiveled to a sleeve 12 which has a fiange 12aL secured tothe sound chamber 13 and is provided with a sleeve portion 121 that projects through the top of the sound box and into the interior thereof. The sleeve 12a, at its lower end, is externally threaded and provlded with a flanged annular clamping nut or collar 14.

The numeral 15 indicates a wooden sleeve, the body of which is very thin, but the upper end of which is slightly increased in thlckness so as to 'afford a shoulder adapted to be clamped by the flange of the nut 14, when the upper end of said sleeve tube 15 is 'telescoped into the fiange 12b as shown in Fig. 1.

`The numeral lindicates the inner wooden resonant tube. This inner tube 16 is of a considerably smaller diameter than the outer tube 15 and it is concentrically spaced within the same but connected thereto at one point. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the connection between the two tubes 15 and 16 is made at the lower ends thereof, and by the flange ring 17 formed on the inner tube 16, by sealing wax or shoemakers wax 18 and by a smallnut equipped bolt 19. The wax 18 fills the space between the flange and the central hub and makes contact between the two tubes. The bolt 19 securely connects the two tubes at the one point and the wax prevents `rattling or` vibration at the ljoint between the two parts so that the resonance of the one tube will be transmitted to the other.

The bolt 19 also holds in position a small bracket 20, and this bracket holds, at the The construction shown in Figs. 4 andv 5 is likeA that illustrated in Fi s. 1, 2 and 3 except for the fact that oneo the so-called tone struts or sounding posts 22a is employed and the spring -or fork 21n presses only against this one strut 22a.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the so-called sounding strut is in the form of cord or flexible tension members 23a passing diametrically through the inner tube 16. In this arrangement, the outer tube 15B` is 4made shorter than in the other arrangement, before described, and the connection between 'the two tubes is at the lower portion of the outer tube and at the intermediate portions of the inner tube, as best shown in Fig. 9. The tension device here employed is a leaf spring or spring rod 24 the central portionI of which is passed through a perforation in the bracket 20 and the end of which is pressed against the central portion of the strut 23a.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 10 the outer tube 15b/is made very short and the connections between this tube and thisinner tube 16 is at the upper portion of the latter. l f

The inner tube 16a shown in Fig. 7 is like a tube shown in Fig. 6 and the other views, but instead of having the single flange ring 17, it is shown as provided with several diamond shaped flanges 17a that afford several pockets for containing the wax.

The device above described for improvling the tone for phonographs or talking machines has been put into actual use and has been found very satisfactory for the purposes had in view. The tone produced when this device is applied, is not only louder, but is more resonant and musical and from all points of view, and a much better tone than that produced in that same machine without the resonator applied to the machine. The device may be more chiefly vand easily applied to4 the machines now found on the market.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a tone arm for talking machines, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located where the sound waves will pass therethrough on their way from the tone arm into the soundin chamber, and a tension device putting said resonant tube normally under stress.

from the inner end of said arm and locatedwhere the sound waves will pass therethrough on their way from said arm into the sound box, said resonant tube being supported at one spot located at one side thereof and free to vibrate throughout its main body portion.

3. The combination with a tone arm of a talking machine, of concentric resonant tubes spaced apart and located where the sound waves will pass therethrough on their way from said tone arm into the sound chamber, said resonant tubes being connected at one spot located at one side thereof and free to vibrate throughout their main body portions.

4. The combination with tone arm of a talking machine, of a resonant tube spaced from the inner end of said arm and located where the sound waves will pass therethrough on their way from said arm into the sound box, said resonant tube being supported at one spot only,;1.nd free to vibrate throughout its main body portion, a plurality of sounding posts or members extended through said resonant tubes, and a spring anchored to said tube -and exerting spring forks against the intermediate portion of said sounding posts, thereby putting said tube under normal stress.

5. The combination with the tone arm of a talking machine, of concentric resonant tubes connected at one spot and spaced apart, said outer tube being anchored to the sound delivery end of said tone ar1n,`and the two tubes being arranged so that the sound waves will pass therethrough.

6. The combination with the tone arm of a phonograph or talking machine, of concentric resonant tubes connected at one spot and spaced apart, said outer tube being anchored to the sound delivery end of said arm, and the two tubes being arranged so that the sound waves will pass therethrough, and a spring device anchored to said inner tube and exerting a normal tension thereon putting the same under stress.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED IV. COOLEY.

Witnesses:

CLARA DnMARnsT, BERNICE G. BAUMANN. 

